Return To The Labyrinth
by TheTravelWriter
Summary: Heather, a close friend of Sarah, finally loses her temper and damns her brother, but when her brother is truly taken away she comes to Sarah for help in finding him, and Sarah has a good idea as to where he has been taken, but is it already too late?
1. Chapter 1

"Fate is like a strange, unpopular restaurant filled with odd little waiters who bring you things you never asked for and don't always like."

-Lemony Snicket

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**CHAPTER ONE: Where The Fairy Tale Begins**

She let out a small yelp as the needle accidently pricked the skin of her lower back, the tiniest of punishments for wriggling too much in her impatience, desperate to be freed from the pins and thread that held the hem and the zip in place, a slow and careful running stitch to keep it from falling apart once it was removed.

"When'll you be done?"

"I'll be done when I'm done." The chirpy voice of Heather answered, threading through the zip, cutting the thread and tying the knot, zipping up before zipping it closed again, confirming that it worked and it was not painful for Sarah to wear. "All right, that's you for today."

With a great, heaving sigh she allowed for a slump as she slugged off the elfish gown, flopping to the ground with a dull thump, the fabric almost sighing with her as she stretched upwards, drawing her shoulders back, hearing the cracks as loud as day as she rubbed the part of her back that was directly under the nape of her neck, shifting from foot to foot, letting out the smallest of whines as a terrible tingling sensation flooded her feet, threatening to make her topple over into the enormous pile of incomplete costumes still with sharp pins sticking out, only a few in the actual pin cushion shaped like a sequins tomato; stub and all.

"Be a bit more delicate with my beauties would you." Heather put her needles back in the main sewing kit, rising with the dress, lifting it as high as her skinny, freckled arms would allow, the base in all its simple glory, the dark green rim of the sleeves and collar incomplete, the golden patterns sketches on paper with several watercolour designs with the intentions of allowing it to be its very best. Sarah was always amazed by the level of devotion and expertise on Heather's part and could not help but feel a tad inferior when faced with her in drama club.

In the reflection Sarah could see the room much brighter than it truly was, the thick curtains a strong crimson, the room flooded with all sorts of costume material folded in one corner, cardboard and foam rested in one corner, small chunks removed for those hard-to-make pieces of armour, the glue gun ready for use near a cloak that would have plastic gems glued on to add that special glow.

Resting the gown on the table, the sewing machine was switched on and the material twisted to stitch accordingly. That was Sarah's cue to leave, and she was to obey silently as such, saying her goodbye and leaving the costume room, and Heather, in peace.

Stress was causing everyone to work overtime, some coming into school during weekends or pulling all-nighters just to make sure they were up to date. It was the last school play before the end of school for good, and a lot of important people would be there to watch; some could decide whether they would ever get into the artistic career of film making or costume design; so it was rather stressful for everyone.

Climbing onto the ghastly pink bicycle, stains of dark red in an attempt to cover the dreadful colour decorating the frame, Sarah allowed her mind to wonder for what seemed to be the first time in centuries along the aged roads that so desperately needed to be repaired. The wheels threatened to pop at every rock on the road, large dips at every opportunity seeking to destroy her or at least her bike, though she cared very little for the damage that would be caused to it, rather her step-mother's reaction and the dreaded speech that would follow.

Slowing her riding speed, a strange noise caught her attention as she ensured her own safety, a faint noise to her direct left towards the park that was, for the time being, completely empty as a result of poor weather soon to pass over and drown her in water. This concern for a bad storm threw aside the strange sound and whatever concerns may have come with it, balancing herself upon the bike once more and riding forward, returning to her normal speed for but a few moments before the front wheel dipped suddenly into one of the many pot holes in the ground, tipping forward and then sideways, avoiding falling herself but the bike resting at an angle at her side.

'Clearly I need a vacation.' If she could not see what was right in front of there then there was obviously a problem regarding her eyesight and she had a feeling that it was to do with exhaustion, damning her clumsiness as she settled the bike at the proper angle, walking at a steady pace. It would be better to get a little damp than to crash into a tree because her mind was elsewhere.

But walking at a slow and ordinary pace allowed her to hear the noise once again, pausing and turning her head to the quiet park without seeing any visible cause, soon certain that she was exhausted and that she was having auditory hallucinations, pausing for a single moment to stare in the general direction of the possible hazard with clear green eyes narrowed, squinting just to make sure that all was what it appeared to be.

Concluding that nothing was wrong, she turned away. Standing in the middle of the road only meters away from her was a dog. Or, at least, it appeared to be a dog at first glance, but upon looking closer she found that it had a complete absence of fur, thick, wrinkly pale skin folding over itself, a large flat face more hunched over than standing on four legs, the arms so long they drooped to the floor.

It was anything but a dog.

Turning its great and heavy head, the eyes too dark to see focused on her, standing to its full height, the thick grey hair shifting in heavy clumps as it stared at her. Her immediate assumption was a visual hallucination to add to the strange noise, but it was clear that if this were a hallucination then it surely would have faded by now, creaking closer with dragging footsteps, taking its time in coming closer, in no hurry to approach her.

But she was not patient and more than startled by the sight, abandoning her bike, almost throwing it to the ground and fleeing, back down the road she came up the small hill along the main street pavement along a much longer route home, her own frightful paranoia making her believe that what she saw was much worse than what it truly was, slowing her pace as ragged breaths broke through, her arms waving only the smallest amount at her sides until she had calmed down and felt a faint glimmer of guilt towards her actions, feeling as though she had perhaps upset the fae by fleeing the way she did. After all, from her time in the Labyrinth she had learnt that it was the greatest creature with the least charming face that turned out to be the kindest.

'And the most human the villain.' That she could say with certainty, nodding to herself as her slacks slapped against the concrete pavement, seeing the clouds forming above her, a terribly dark grey, a chilly splat of rain against her face, soon to be followed by several other pitter-patters beating against whatever it came into contact with, groaning ever so slightly, lifting her arms over her head in a weak attempt to keep her head dry as she started the sprint once again towards her home and hopefully to a house that was now warm.

"I'm back!" It was as quiet as she expected it to be, her father and step-mother having planned for this weekend away for quite some time. She was not sure if it was a good idea to leave a young girl in charge of babysitting while school was still going on, and the play just around the corner, peeling the demine jacket off, plopping it on the radiator in the hall, soaked socks making loud slapping sounds up the stairs, leaving watery footprints on the wooden floor as she opened the bedroom door of her younger brother Toby.

He was asleep earlier than usual, napping quite soundly on the tiny bed low enough so that falling off would not be so painful, smiling from behind the door as she crept in, moving the large colourful building blocks out of the way, careful with artistic sculptures and towers he was building, ensuring that they would not harm him upon waking, staring at his plump angelic face, ruffling the hair ever so slightly with a peck on the forehead before sneaking back out, shutting the door behind her.

'Right, that's one less trouble.' He would be waking in a few hours if he had fallen into a nap now, entering her own room, the toys that once surrounded her gone, now replaced with all extras from the drama club as she stripped to bare, searching for something warmer to wear, settling on the large pale yellow sweater and skinny jeans, passing into the bathroom completely opposite her and snatching a towel, running the damp hair through the patterned material until relatively dry, grabbing the brush and combing through the uncomfortable knots, staring at the mirror.

There were times when they did not appear for several hours, but late afternoon was the general time they visited, turning cool eyes to the small alarm clock that said: 5.09PM. It had been three days since she had seen them at all, and she assumed that there was something going on in the world of the Labyrinth that she had not been informed about. She would not be surprised; every world had its celebrations and the world of the Labyrinth was no different, watching her reflection for a few moments, noting her faint frown and the dark bags under her eyes from sleep exhaustion, letting the scowl sink further, pushing the chair back and standing up, turning away with the towel around her shoulders.

'Alright, food.' If she made pizza then there would be plenty for her and she could reheat to warm for when Toby woke up; he loved pizza and it would certainly stop the sobs that would follow the absence of his parents, walking barefoot down the stairs down the corridor and into the kitchen, flicking the switch on the oven, opening the freezer and taking out the pepperoni. She did not care for the small details and neither did Toby, shoving it in, directing her attention to the window.

In the backyard was a creature that she had almost forgotten, the beady black eyes staring back at her, the hair in heavy, wet clumps, slumped down at the edge of the back garden semi-illuminated by the street light. No one seemed to question the creature and she was certain that she was the only one that could see it, staring back with caution. She wondered if it was only people that had been to the Fae world that could see them, letting out a low hum before opening the fridge and taking out the milk, pouring it into a bowl, but not enough that they would have no coffee or tea the next morning, opening the kitchen back door, the rain beating against her head the moment she stepped out.

"If you're thirsty you can have this!" She called out, setting the bowl on the step, sluggish movements of the heavy beast dragging itself forward, taking the bowl with great, thick arms and glugging down the chilly liquid in one go. She could at least say that she was not being rude, a smile stretching from ear to ear, crooked yellow teeth exposed in some form of gratitude, smiling back herself, trying to figure out how she should respond.

She was grateful for the ringing phone then, the sound causing the Fae's ears to twitch, lifting its head with a low groan, like a tree bending in the wind.

"Um… I got to answer that." It gave no indication that it understood her, standing patiently at the door as she escaped into the corridor, answering the phone after multiple rings.

The hiccup of a woman's voice broke through, sobs, or perhaps giggles; escaping the person she recognised to be Heather almost instantly.

"Heather, are you okay? What's wrong?" Worry laced her voice, Heather trying to speak but unable to. "Calm down. Take a deep breath and tell me what happened."

"J-Jack." It was all she could understand, the remaining sentence untranslatable. Jack was her younger brother; in the same nursery group as Toby and already a best buddy.

"Heather, what has happened to Jack?" The hallway seemed to shake as the massive Fae bowed down to pass into the house. She waved a hand at the creature that did not seem to understand the message, simply standing there.

"He's gone." It came out as a yell, static tearing through the phone as the girl continued to weep.

Sarah remained calm, letting out a low sigh.

"All right, I'll be over in a minute. I'll be taking Toby with me. When I get there I want you to explain everything to me."

Toby was less than willing to wake up and grumpy upon entering the rain. The oven was turned off and both doors locked, the creature following behind them whether they liked it or not, Toby not seeming to mind in the slightest, not knowing that such a thing could not be seen by ordinary people.

Heather's parents were away and she was taking care of her brother for the time being, living only a few streets away, which seemed quite a distance in such poor weather especially to a four-year-old boy.

"Where we going?" His high-pitched, tired voice broke through as a whine, stumbling the smallest amount. She picked him up before speaking.

"Heather's worried about Jack. We're just paying a visit to make sure everything is all right." She could not tell Toby that Jack had disappeared; it would make him cry and that was the one thing her heart could not cope with, shifting Toby in her arms as the two storey building came into sight.

Heather was in the living room still by the telephone still crying, huddled into a ball with her face hidden and arms wrapped around her legs, lifting her head only to look up at Sarah as she arrived, hazel eyes stained red, her face flushed from never ending crying.

Pulling her upwards, she sat Heather on the sofa, asking Toby to stay with her as she started the kettle. She was always taught that a good cup of tea could cool the nerves no matter the situation and hoped that she was not incorrect in this belief.

Letting the kettle boil, she joined Heather once again, unzipping her jacket and letting it hang on one of the chairs before sitting next to her.

"Tell me everything."

Heather was having a stressful day as it was and to add to her workload her parents had gone out on one of their vacations; a weekend holiday. She knew about it, sure, but that did not make her any less happy about it and with the stress of the situation she could not help but be a little moody around her brother. Jack was having one of his days and acting like a spoilt brat, screaming and crying and getting angry at everything. He threw his food around in a babyish temper tantrum and it was impossible to get him to sleep.

She snapped, it could not be helped, and he started crying even louder than before. She damned her parents and she damned her little brother, and in the spur of the moment she wished him away.

"What do you mean 'wished him away'? What did you say?" The wording was crucial. If she mentioned a Goblin King…

"I just said 'I hope a monster takes you away', and then…" Tears pricked her eyes once again. Patting her back, Toby watched the two girls with clueless blue eyes. She had not said the specific words, but she was not willing to dismiss the idea.

"Was the window locked? How long were you away from the room?" She nodded to answer the first question, the heavy beast passing through the wall as though it were a door, standing there like a bewildered guest.

"Only a minute; I checked on him because he stopped…" Her voice drifted away as the putrid odour of swamp water filled the air, scrunching her nose, covering it and making a gagging noise. "Oh god, what's that smell?"

Her eyes searched for the cause despite everything, her eyes pausing at the creature that loomed at her window, though she could not see it entirely she knew that something was there. Resting her hands on Heather's shoulders, she was firm in her resolution.

"Heather, let's not call the police immediately. Let's check out the area first. You know how your brother is; he's a good hider."

"Not_ this_ good!" She was correct; no four year old could hide this well for this long and surely upon hearing Heather crying he would come out. Then again, Jack was as stubborn as his sister and if he felt that she had to find him before feeling better then he would follow through with it no matter what happened.

A low rubble escaped the creature's mouth, a groaning sort of sound, its body creaking as it slumped down.

"You want to say something?" Toby spoke to the Fae that stared down at his tiny frame with black eyes, nodding its hefty head slowly and sluggishly. Toby hopped off the sofa, trotting over to the creature, both Heather and Sarah watching. While Heather was under the assumption that he was talking to one of his many imaginary friends, Sarah watched the creature carefully as Toby took its enormous hand like he would a trusted adult, turning to look at Heather and Sarah. "He says he knows where Jack is."

"Toby, this isn't the time for-." Sarah gave Heather a gentle nudge.

"Toby and Jack played a lot. Maybe he knows a secret hiding spot." Her attempt at reasoning what could not be reasoned was successful, Heather's eyes showing a glimmer of expectation, hope, whatever was running through her head, as she came to agree with Sarah. "Toby, let me put on your jacket first. It's bucketing it out there."

The weather did not ease up and it was unlikely it would ease up for the remainder of the night, almost as though they were in some sort of crime novel and carrying off a body, ready to bury it in the clay-like mud. Though, in this case, they were searching for the body, and they were hoping that said body would be functioning and alive and barely damaged, though they were all cautiously optimistic and Sarah already feared the possibility of facing a goblin instead of Jack.

'Let's not think about that.' She knew that the worst thing she could ever do was assume that it was the Goblin king in particular that had taken the child, and it was equally wrong to assume that he had turned said child into a goblin. For all she knew, the creature could be leading them into a trap, flinching at the idea and staring at the damp back of the fae, nose scrunched at the putrid odour; as though it had fallen into the bog of Eternal Stench. 'Poor thing.' If that had happened then she truly felt sorry for the creature, picking up the pace, Heather close behind.

"A little far out for hiding, isn't it?" They were in the thick of the forest, street lights no longer visible, leaving them in almost complete darkness. None of them had a torch on them or anything with any form of light, walking blind through completely natural darkness, the stars and the moon blocked out by thick black clouds. "Toby, are you sure he's here."

Toby took a moment to look up at the creature who nodded back, Toby repeating the action to Heather with a large, toothy grin, proud to trust the fae who's hand he was holding though he would soon come to realise that not every fae had good intentions, Sarah deciding to believe the creature for the time being.

They came to a gentle stop just outside one of the largest trees in the forest. Well over one hundred years old and as old as the small town itself, with a trunk significantly thicker than the trees around it.

The base was hollow and roots exposed, and Sarah could vaguely recall times she hid in the hollow during games of hide-and-seek. At first it was impossible for the other children to find her and from time to time a search party was set out to find her, only to find her giggling in the crevice. Over time she sought out other unusual hiding spots and the area was forgotten following her growing maturity.

"Is he down here?" She looked at the fae this time, which answered only with a low rubble. "Well, guess there's only one way to find out." She knelt down, her hands sinking into the soaked mud which clung to her like quicksand, turning her head and squatting into a tiny ball, one foot in first, squeezing herself in; now too large to fit in with ease.

It was a tiny space just as she expected. There was no extra room for a small boy; he was not hiding here.

'Should've known.' There was no luck for her, reaching her hand through to climb back out, startled when she found herself unable to climb out. 'Crap, I'm stuck on something.' She should not have climb in, clicking her tongue in frustration.

"Guys, I'm-." She silenced herself when she felt her foot shift. She looked down into the darkness, squinting her eyes, feeling something wrapped around her ankle. It did not feel like a root, but rather a-

She let out a yell as the leg was pulled away, several tiny hands grasping at her legs, dragging her away. She tried to kick the invisible creatures with her legs, flailing with her hands, but lost her grip of the remaining ground as something chomped down on the skin close to her wrist, grabbing at the hand and pulling her down a hole she could not see, the wicked giggles barely heard above her screams.

Heather stood paralysed as everything fell silent. Sarah was rarely the one to pull pranks, but when she did it was at the worst possible moment, standing close to Toby who walked into the hollow without much of a care for his sister's screams.

"There's another hole down here." He answered, as though that somehow relieved Heather of the panic she felt, running to grab him as he slipped through the thick roots, disappearing from her vision without the terrified screams that Sarah had expressed.

She hated it. She did not want to go near such a thing, the tree seeming all the more menacing in the dark. Though she could not see it, the creature stood by her, and she continued to cringe at the smell.

If there was indeed a hole that one could slip into under the tree, it was entirely possible that they had both fallen into it, though she could not see how her brother would have the time to escape the house and climb out into the forest. He could not climb a tree for the life of him; the chances were that he was hiding in the home and she considered turning back.

"Um, guys!" She called into the hollow, hearing no response. She was feeling nervous now, like it was all a mean prank on the part of both her brother and the Williams siblings, feeling a frown crease her face. "I think he just might be hiding back in the house so I'm going to-."

Kicked viciously from behind, she was knocked into the uncomfortable space, half stuck inside, dragging herself back out, staring at the empty space with an ever visible frown. She had to go down there to tell them, and confirm that her brother was most certainly not there, letting out a loud puff of breath, hoping that a hole was all it was, climbing into the gap, her hands scaling the area, finding no such hole.

'Then where did they go?'

She stopped, feeling the roots tangle around her legs like many tiny hands.

It was then that she heard the giggles and sniggers, the fright flooding her mind almost instantly, clambering to get out, a powerful yank pulling her away from the rim of the hollow, several other yanks dragging her into an open space, her hands struggling to grab at what they could. There were several sharp pricks as her fingers clung onto the remaining solid ground; one final stab and her hands were freed, and she was left in free fall.

She flailed as she fell further and further into darkness, regretting her choice as she grasped at stuff that was not there, hitting ground suddenly, rolling down in dry earth along a slope until she crashed to a stop among the bodies of Sarah and Toby, both of whom were immobile.

'What the hell…?' The tunnel had come to a stop, and they were still in complete darkness.

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That's the final and edited version of this chapter done. Thank you to nekochan1994 for their advice and contribution. I will be touching up on the remaining chapters soon enough. I hope you all enjoy this edition.


	2. Chapter 2

"Mental strength will clarify your worthiness, or declare your defeat."

-Alice: Madness Returns

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**CHAPTER TWO: Doors Well Hidden**

It was impossible to say that Heather took the situation well, feeling panicked breaths suck up their remaining air as she slammed on the hard walls, trying to find a way out.

"Heather, calm down and listen to me."

"I did listen to you, and now I'm practically buried alive." She started to dig at the walls, but they were not made of mud as she hoped, her whole body shaking with the desperation for freedom. Sarah rose to the best of her ability in the enclosed space, her hands not digging but scaling the flat surface, hoping to find a change along the walls, finding none. "Damn it! Jack isn't even down here."

Heather slammed herself against the end of the tunnel, under a frightful hope that it would just pop open and they would be freed, a heavy knock producing a sound similar to plaster. Sarah noted this, though she did not know if they could knock the blockage down or indeed what would be on the other side.

"Toby, stay back." Toby obeyed, shuffling as far away from the end of the hole as he could as Sarah joined Heather in slamming against the wall, pulling back and kicking instead with her leg, several times with as much strength as she could, shuffling back when the kicks assisted in pulling her forward. "One more." If it did not work in the final kick they would try and climb back up.

It did not budge. The end of the tunnel remained just that; the end of the tunnel. Sarah let out a frustrated sigh, though she was more than frustrated; worried that they would not be able to climb out and scared that they would starve to death at the bottom of this pit and no one would notice.

Heather found a sense of irony in the situation, laughing already; defeated, nervous laughter, turning to Sarah though she could not see her.

"Maybe we can climb back out… Toby, hold onto my back." She did not know what angle they had fallen from, and doubted they would reach the top, Toby's skinny arms wrapped around her neck, legs hooked around her hips, clinging for dear life though he did not know how grim the situation would be if they could not climb out.

It started off at only a slight angle, easy enough to scale though the space was tight and Heather could feel her back rubbing against the roof as she shuffled forward, the angle ever increasing, and still no sign of light as she had to dig her hands into the ground to prevent herself from falling back into the hole.

Sarah had it harder, carrying her brother on her back as they continued, his grip loosening as they continued. She started to climb faster, praying that she reach the way out before he could take no longer.

The ground was suddenly flat again, the space significantly larger and more open. She could not tell whether it was the way out or another tunnel leading to another space, but she crawled into it regardless, glad for the break even if it was no way out, Heather's large frame clambering through, just as relieved and confused.

"This must lead somewhere." Though they could not see anything, Heather's feet kicked something metal which rolled towards Sarah. Sarah lifted the object, finding that it felt like a goblet. It was a treasure trove of sorts, which meant there had to be an easier way to get to it.

"Come on." She held tightly onto Toby's hand; a protective grip that said to any creature, fae or human, 'come near this boy and I'll give you hell'. Heather was close behind, her worries now confusion.

She did not understand why such a big hole existed under an old, almost dead, tree and was bewildered by the treasure that she could feel around her, and was just as confused by Sarah's nonchalant attitude; as though it were an everyday experience for her.

She was amazed by it, her hands in front of her almost mocking the infamous zombie as she rested her hands on Sarah's back as a guide, Sarah not quite complaining though her discomfort was clear; never enjoying being touched by people, especially when she could not see them, her shoulders tense as they continued to walk in the darkness.

A small light became visible with time, a pinprick in the darkness that brought about a glimmer of hope that pushed Heather to sprint forward and away from the group, Sarah calling out for her to stop, but she could not hear for she was free, stopping only when she slipped, almost falling down into another hole in the ground, Sarah running to grab her, leaving Toby behind to grab her arm with both of hers.

"I told you to slow down." She pulled her upwards, Heather's excitement dimming as she was pulled back to safety, or the closest thing to safety she could hope to achieve, letting out a huge sigh, jumping at the pitter-patter of Toby's footsteps came closer, latching onto Sarah who had left him alone too long, tears already filling his eyes.

He liked to pretend that he was a brave boy, but there was nothing he feared more than the dark, or at least being in the dark alone. Sarah picked him up, bobbing him in her arms slightly, patting his back in an attempt of comfort.

"Don't worry, Duckie, we're right here. See, nothing to be scared off."

They were careful from then on, one foot always in front of the other searching for any holes directly in front of them that they could not see, Toby nestled comfortably in Sarah's arms, drifting to sleep despite the situation.

The pinprick of light was revealed to be not all that large after all, barely the size of a tennis ball. They were hoping for a large opening, but they did not feel as grim as they had when they were forced to climb to the top of the hole to get to the tunnel.

Sarah could do nothing with Toby in her arms, and he latched onto her with such persistence that to break his attachment would break her heart more than his, Heather taking on the duty of pulling the rocks free, the smaller ones tossed aside, larger ones shoved outwards, loud crashing sounds indicating that there was indeed a world outside the tunnel.

She scrambled away as one of the larger rocks collapsed down, almost crushing her hands, the cave rumbling and rattling, a thin layer of dust sprinkling the area. They stood still for a moment, Toby mumbling slightly in his sleep, bringing his thumb close to his mouth unconsciously.

"Help me push this." None of them had the intentions of staying longer than necessary, Sarah gently tugging at Toby's tiny hands, finger by finger, away from the collar of her coat, resting him close by, drifting awake for a single moment before curling in on himself and snuggling back into rest.

With strenuous efforts, the rock came loose, only enough that they could see a crack of light, puffing and huffing before forcing another push, digging their shoulders into the cold grey surface, stumbling forward as the boulder broke free, descending downwards and rolling along the cliff side, squinting their eyes at the daylight.

"You have to be joking." Not only was there an enormous cliff before them, tiny yellow rocks no doubt making it a challenge to climb anywhere, but stretched out over the horizon was a desert-like landscape with sprouts of large boulders or cliffs like spires in the sky. The sky itself was a pale orange, the sun setting somewhere they could not see.

Not too far away, though she would be certain to regret saying that in the future, was the labyrinth, the castle a mutation in the centre; no signs of life visible for either of them.

"I must be dreaming." There was no way such a place could exist without someone finding out about it, and her natural assumption was that she had hit her head slipping somewhere in the forest and was now unconscious: it was far more believable than what she saw before her. "No, no, no! Wake up!"

Heather pressed the palms of her hands against her temples, squishing her eyes shut. She did this for several moments before opening her eyes, finding no change in reality. She would not believe it, repeating the actions. She could not be sleeping in a situation such as this; her brother was still missing.

"Wake up, wake up." She repeated the words like a mantra, slowly descending downwards into a pathetic ball of denial and misery, damning herself for sleeping and having such vivid dreams.

Sarah watched silently, pinching Heather's arm, twisting the skin and pulling away, Heather yelping, slapping her hand away, her own hand stinging at the action.

"You aren't dreaming." Heather was stubborn in her beliefs that she was dreaming, though she could confirm that pinching normally worked in waking her and she never felt her hand stinging in dreams. In most cases it was difficult to do anything other than see or hear, and the fact that she could still feel a chill over her body from the bad weather and smell the dampness of the area about her almost made her believe she was awake. "Come on, the sooner we find your brother the better."

Toby clung to Sarah once again, his eyes focused on the ground below them while Sarah was focused on making sure she did not slip and tumble to the very bottom, breaking every bone in her body, clinging with all her strength to every rock her hands took hold of, her feet gently prodding the loose surface before descending further.

The cliff was not necessarily a cliff for while the top half, close to the treasure trove, consisted of dull red rocks at a jagged 90 degree angle, the lower half, not too far from the bottom of the cave, was at an easier angle to climb and was more like the part of the mountain just beyond the forest line, with a loose surface but no large boulders or hazards beyond slipping or, if rain ever came to such a place, the possibility of mud they could fall in.

"How you doing Heather?"

"Oh, you know, just in the process of falling down a miniature mountain and about to land in a desert. The usual." She landed on the thick, dusty sand, Sarah close behind her, slumping down, easing Toby off her, allowing her the opportunity to stretch. "Sarah, why the hell are we here?"

Heather was coming to the dulled realisation that the sensations she felt in such a place were not sensation she could even hope to find in a dream, though she was not willing to completely dismiss the idea that she was fast asleep. However, it was becoming less likely that she was dreaming, and that only led to several hundred questions running through her mind on a loop, demanding answers though she could not speak all the questions at once.

Sarah took Toby's hand, aiming for the labyrinth not too far away, not answering right away for she had no logical way of explaining the land of the labyrinth or indeed why Jack would have ended up travelling to such a place without putting the burden on Heather; as though she were not depressed enough.

"When I was younger, I came to this place after Toby was taken away. The Goblin king made a deal that if I got through the labyrinth in thirteen hours then I could have my brother back." She did not mention the transformation or the many deceits and lies in the labyrinth.

"Then what is this place? How come no one has found it before?"

"I don't know. I never considered asking; I was a little busy at the time." She was taken there by the king himself for a little game: at least a 'little game' for him. She did not see how he got her there, though she had assumed that perhaps it involved the crystals he always kept with him, and never went through the effort of asking where it was, once again assuming that it was in a whole different world. "I assumed a lot of things. Don't do that." The best advice that could possibly be offered was to not assume. Already she was falling into that trap and had to almost slap it out of her, promising that she would not fall into tricks of reality and illusions.

"Right."

They walked for quite some time, Toby growing tired and beginning to whine. Blonde hair and blue eyes were terrible in such environments, Sarah picking him up, removing the tiny yellow jacket and having it serve more as a hat; protection against the sun though it was setting and it would soon be night.

The labyrinth was always in sight, always under their exhausted gaze lest it take the opportunity to scurry away when they blinked at the same time. The walls stretched above them, almost disappearing though there were no clouds; a warning that climbing the walls was not recommended. It was another illusion, crackling from enormous and threatening to the normal height of a labyrinth wall, the dulled yellow surface with green moss or mould of some sort beckoning them in, but Sarah would not pass through.

"Hoggle? Hoggle, it's me; Sarah." The house was close by, the many fairies drifting around the flowers. Though they were pretty, she knew that they were pests and would bite if she came too close.

Knocking on the door, she received no response. She had not heard from him for quite some time, but she was surprised regardless, certain that even if he did not visit he would be residing in his house of abode, reaching down to open the door of the tiny wooden shack to find it locked.

'Strange. Maybe he's out doing business.' She had never heard of business or him taking part in any other duties beyond what seemed to be gardening outside the labyrinth, letting out a hum of mild irritation and confusion before standing to her full height, rejoining Heather and Toby who had watched her wander to the house without the slightest indication that they wanted to follow, facing the gates into the labyrinth. 'Strange how it made itself known.' She had spent time talking to Hoggle about the doors last time, claiming that she could not find them, so to find them then and there with no assistance was odd to her, deciding not to relay her opinion to the others.

"Well, I guess we just go in." There was no other way about it, and though she was certain that she was being watched or something unusual was taking place, she decided it best to focus on getting to the castle as soon as possible and reclaiming Jack before he was turned into a goblin.

"Right."

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That's this chapter done and edited to match the changes in the first chapter. I hope you all don't mind it too much. Thanks again to nekochan1994 for their input. Next chapter and fourth will be up soon enough.


	3. Chapter 3

"We are always paid for our suspicion by finding what we suspect."

-Henry David Thoreau

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**CHAPTER THREE: Everything Is Wrong**

"It shouldn't be this easy." Sarah said after a while, stopping upon passing through the stone maze, now facing the garden maze.

No troubles had come their way and there was a deathly, eerie silence beyond the loud slaps of their shoes and rustles of their clothes. Even birds had fallen silent and there was no wind to make trees blow in the wind.

It was as though nothing existed in this place; nothing alive at least.

'Something's not right.' Staring up at the tinged sky, a vague blue; washed out and devoid of life. Even when listening closely not a single sound beyond their own could be heard. They were completely alone, and Sarah could not understand why all was quiet.

"Three days ago they stopped visiting me. Something must have happened then." What could have possibly happened three days ago that the labyrinth, the noisiest labyrinth she had faced, would fall silent?

"This place smells strange." There was a strange smell in the air; a dulled, musty odour like stale air within an enclosed space. Mould as well.

The place reeked of decay.

"Let's hurry up and get to the castle." Hopefully they would find their answers there; and she hoped that her suspicions were nothing more than fantasy, pushing forward.

The fireys were nowhere in sight, the forest seeming much less lively without them; the trees drooped and the colours less vibrant. The whole place felt as though it were in a state of decay; a recent corpse of the former labyrinth.

There were no slip ups; they did not fall down holes into the Bog of Eternal Stench and the path remained flat and even. No sounds distracted them and there were no frightful abnormalities or creatures that attracted their attention. The only thing that distracted them was the complete absence of these things, Sarah holding Toby close to her, picking him up as they arrived by the bog through ordinary means, the odour stinging her nose, threatening to choke her as tears pricked her eyes.

"Block your nose, Toby." She gasped out, breathing in and out through her mouth, Heather behind her clutching her nose, almost blind with sour tears. "Whatever you do, don't step in the water. You'll reek of it forever."

The castle stood like a looming cathedral beyond the junk yard, spires of rugged proportions sticking from all edges, the tattered ruins of what seemed to have once been flags hung loose, completely still; not a single gust of wind in the air.

It was like a hollow shell of its former self; an enormous black shadow against a brightly lit backdrop. When they came close to the castle, to the Goblin City, all that could be felt was pure dread. The gates before them were open, exposing the silence before them; the homes in no worse condition but still eerie in their emptiness, expectations of protest and violence on the king's part now gone, replaced now with the certainty that something was wrong in more than one way.

A reasonable person would have turned back and fled the scene, hoped for another way back or another resolution to a situation they did not even understand, but they had little choice in the matter and though the very blood pumping through their veins demanded that they flee, they bit back their terror and continued onwards.

The Goblin City was never a place of particular logic or glamour, most buildings made of a greyish yellow material, the ground an awkward blend of solid rock and sand, windows in places windows ought not to be and doors sometimes too small or too high to climb into.

Sarah had little time to explore the first time she entered the city, far too busy fleeing for her life as the fortunately incompetent goblins tried to shoot her down with whatever happened to be in their hands.

There were still holes in the walls from cannon balls that had missed her and her small group as they fled to the castle, almost natural in the strange environment.

"Hello?" She called out, hoping, in vain, that someone would answer her, or something would respond.

Her voice echoed, but nothing answered back.

"Sarah, let's head back. Jack might be somewhere else." Heather felt more unnerved by the place than the others. An almost feral instinct took over, screaming at her to leave and keep as far away as possible, every building and every shadow a creature from her worst nightmares, seeming to stretch high above her and consume her.

"We still need to check the castle." She did not want to. Though she could see nothing alive, she could feel a frightful presence like no other just below her feet, pulsing… one… two… three... four, and there was a pulse. Something was in the castle; she could feel it though she would have been much less unsettled if she could not.

What was one to think upon entering the castle, up silent steps and through wooden doors? It was what one was to expect; a long corridor with high walls and a great number of candelabras immobile above them; nothing more than decoration as the fae were fully capable of using magic to light up the darkness. The Goblin king was, after all, one to show off, but without the flamboyant attitude of the king himself the place only felt creepy, grabbing Toby's hand more to console herself that she was not going in this online than to ensure him that all was well.

'Wrong, wrong, this is all wrong.'

The terror that lurked in the back of their minds threatened to overwhelm them upon entering the throne room. Sarah left immobile and frozen in place, wide eyes with her lips pressed firmly together.

Heather growled at the darkness as though it were a living creature, her body tensed and fists clenched to the point the knuckles were turning white, already angled to run as her instincts begged her to.

"This feels terrible." Though the throne room was just empty, they could all feel it; Toby clinging tightly to Sarah's person, shaking with unspeakable fright, not daring to open his mouth lest it respond to his voice with violence.

"Sarah; we need to get out of here."

"There has to be something here. There has to be-."

"Sarah, we need to leave now!" Everything about Heather said that this was not the place to be, and it was more than an honest truth to say that Heather's instincts were better than most; especially when she felt thinks were going wrong.

Sarah looked from Heather to Toby, walking up to Heather, passing the teary boy to Heather. He did not wail though, fearing what would happen if he made the slightest noise, showing his protest only through his eyes and his clinginess.

"Head back to the beginning of the labyrinth. I need to look around."

"Sarah!" Heather hated the idea of being alone more than she did being in the throne room. If any of them were left alone then she was certain something horrible would happen.

"I need to find a clue. There has to be somewhere they all went. Maybe I can find it here." Though Sarah was frightened, dear god she was frightened, her determination left Heather's stubbornness in ruins.

"There's something here. Be really careful, you hear?"

"More than usual?"

"Extra, super more than usual!" It did nothing to help her confidence; only serving as a sign that staying near the castle for too long would do her harm. Nodding slightly as Heather bobbed the boy in her arms, a small squeak from Toby before he clasped onto Sarah with a tiny, plump hand.

"Hurry back."

"I will." She did not watch them flee, Heather running full force as her instincts demanded, turning to face the solitary throne room.

The truth was she had no idea where to look or indeed what she was aiming to find, turning her head only to look up and around, seeing nothing but a large room with an empty throne. She started searching around the throne, careful with her movements, dragging her feet along the ground with one set of toes always pointed towards the doorway in case she had to make a quick escape.

The ground was cleared of most objects, and the small trinkets that could be found were of little interest, picking up a small acorn and placing it back on the ground soon after analysing it. She lifted the heavy, dusty material that decorated the throne. It was actually a rug, but to leave it on the ground would be a shame, and the dust looked fresh, seeing a small gift, if that was what it was, lying hidden behind the rug.

A crystal ball, like one of the many ones that the Goblin king carried with him; precious dreams and wishes locked inside the crystals. She doubted that he would accidently leave something so important behind, picking it up but not bringing it out in the open, the sensation similar to being watched reminding her that all was not well and she best not make whatever was observing her aware of the fact that she had found something, shoving the crystal into the inside pocket of her unzipped jacket, crawling out of the space as casually as possible.

"Maybe I was wrong…" She mumbled, rubbing the back of her neck and pressing her lips together before puffing out a sigh, attempting to brush aside her panic and cause the invisible menace to lose interest in her. Looking around once again, she swore for a moment that something shifted, trying to make it seem as though she had not seen it, returning her attention to the doors, leaving as soon as she could and without a single regret, hoping, praying, that the crystal ball would reveal something of use to them.

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The shortest chapter of them all in terms of editing and reconstructing. Thanks again to Nekoxhan1994 for their contribution. I felt it was important to make everyone aware of just how wrong the situation is. Everything is wrong. And no one knows why. Tomorrow I intend to actually update, and it will be a big update because it will still be morning and my Jareth costume will be almost done. That's right; I'll be going to a con as a female version of Jareth the Gobling King (I'd go as a man but this rack cannot be constrained).


	4. Chapter 4

All other chapters have been edited and redone, so check them out before reading further.

* * *

"It is difficult, when faced with a situation you cannot control, to admit you can do nothing."

-Lemony Snicket

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**CHAPTER FOUR: The Absent Castle**

In the absence of knowledge of the castle she found herself lost far faster than she had expected or hoped for, wandering corridors filled with the uncomfortable smell of urine, mould, and something significantly less pleasant to the point that it choked her almost as bad as the Bog of Eternal Stench, which was designed specifically to have a ghastly odour.

'Oh god.' There was nothing to cause the smell, the corridors still with their heavy purple curtains, the floors still gleaming, although admittedly with a dulled glamour, and despite the thin layer of dust the rugs were still a strong red. 'Is this what it really looks like?' Memories of the ballroom and what she had wandered before suggested something all the more beautiful; she wondered if that was simply her overactive imagination creating the hallucination of perfection, or perhaps something else created it. 'Well they aren't exactly human. Maybe they could.'

Nudging one of the doors open, she peeked through, maintaining a form of optimism that she would soon end up right where she started and reach the front entrance.

She experienced only mildly disappointed, not expecting such fortune despite her hopes, and stepped through to the throne room. It was the third time she had returned to the throne room, and she was certain that she was taking different routes.

'Something keeps bringing me back here.' Either that, or something intended to make sure she did not leave, escaping through another door, another one she had not been through yet was certain would end up in the throne room.

Only to step through the doorway into the very same throne room she just left. She blinked several times, turning her head back to face nothing more than a black wall.

'What the-?' Flicking her head back around, she found a figure sitting on the throne.

A thin, almost stick-like figure with skeleton arms, almost translucent yellow skin peeled over, tight and clinging to every vein, dressed from head to toe in black; a rather charming, body-hugging dress that fell loose around the knees, the face hidden by a veil attached to a large, black sunhat. Most would have assumed that she was in mourning, but Sarah was not so sure.

"Are you the one doing this?" She crept in, standing up straight as the skeleton woman turned her head her way.

"Ah, you must be the human the Goblin King has found himself so infatuated with." She was not sure about the 'infatuated' part, but the rest she could agree on, nodding her head.

"Yeah, um, look, I'd really like to leave. We're kind of looking for a friend-."

"You must be talking about little Jack."

"Yes… do you know where he is?" She spoke with caution, as to be expected from a girl that had come to learn that everything in the fae world was not as friendly as they appeared to be unless under special circumstances, the woman chuckling; a smoker's chuckle. A terrible, raspy chuckle that was only a few coughs short of a lung being hacked up.

"I know where he is not, and he is not with me."

That was of no use to Sarah, not that she expected any useful information. The woman did not seem like the sort to pass on information for free, and certainly not to a complete stranger, Sarah not thanking the woman but not complaining either. Twisting her feet and starting another attempt to leave the castle, through another set of doors; surely talking to the woman would allow her to leave now, opening the doors wide, the set of stairs before her leading back into the solitary labyrinth where her only company would be Heather and Toby; too lonesome for her liking, pushing on regardless, leaving the castle behind.

"But don't you worry, little Sarah, I catch up to everyone."

The crystal ball was their only hope, Sarah confessed upon catching up to Toby and Heather who sat on the outside of the labyrinth, Heather almost doubtful when Sarah took it out of her pocket, watching Sarah hold it with both hands delicately, afraid that anything less would cause it to shatter, leaving them with nothing.

'Always hated that phrase.' Heather thought to herself. 'Only hope.' If it failed, it meant that they would have nothing, and then they would have to sit by and mope or wait for the end to come to them, the thoughts dimming when nothing happened and the crystal ball remained just that.

Sarah continued to hold it with a weak hope in her mind, but with every tick of the clock time was being wasted and nothing was happening.

"Yeah, it was nice while it lasted, but let's get moving Sarah." Heather rose, brushing herself down as sand brushed into the crevices of her trousers, looking around for any landmarks or ways of locating any other travellers, starting up a small slope.

Sarah threw the crystal ball to the ground with a curse, Toby letting out a small gasp.

"You said a swear."

"Yeah, sorry." He should not have been in this place; it was the worst possible place for a child to end up, and if it was dangerous for her and Heather then it was a hazard to his very existence.

The conscious awareness that he would be in danger at all times damned her into hating returning more than she already had. She had thought that it would be similar to the way it had been the last time she entered the labyrinth and she could use her previous knowledge to successfully get through and get Jack long before her original time.

'It can never be easy.' And it was not even the Goblin King's puzzles that made it difficult this time around, though she truly wished it was so she could at least have some foothold in order to start solving the problem. But it was something altogether abnormal this time around, and she hated to admit that there was probably nothing she could do.

"There's a lot of trees and stuff over there. Maybe they're over there." It was more reasonable that staying out in the open desert, Sarah taking Toby's hand as she helped pull him up onto the slope.

It was a large green dome of sorts with vines and trees visible along the rim, like some sort of enclosed forest that and locked itself up. It was not too far away, about a day's walk if they were fast, and not much else could be seen that could be considered any form of shelter unless the spikes of cliffs and caves could count, but they were neither hospitable nor large enough to contain the amount of goblins that existed in Goblin City.

"Well, I can't think of anywhere else to go." Picking Toby up, sheltering his head with his waterproof jacket, Sarah let out a sigh. "Let's hope they got this far."

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A rather short chapter this time around. Don't worry, folks, I intend to make the next chapter much longer. Please read and review, and thank you for your reviews thus far.


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